The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Jacobson. Jacobson was born in 1916. In 1940 he was accepted in the aviation cadet program and graduated in December 1941. He was sent to Fiji where he received additional flight training and was then sent to Guadalcanal. He describes being bombarded for over four hours one night by Japanese ships off the coast. He tells of the experiences of dropping bombs, strafing and escorting bombers during his more than 100 missions and three tours on Guadalcanal. He was selected to be Captain John Mitchell’s wingman during Operation Vengeance. He describes the precise flight plotted by Mitchell for intercept of Admiral Yamamoto’s plane over Bougainville. A vivid description is given of the actions taken by the planes involved in the attack.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Jacobson. Jacobson was born in 1916. In 1940 he was accepted in the aviation cadet program and graduated in December 1941. He was sent to Fiji where he received additional flight training and was then sent to Guadalcanal. He describes being bombarded for over four hours one night by Japanese ships off the coast. He tells of the experiences of dropping bombs, strafing and escorting bombers during his more than 100 missions and three tours on Guadalcanal. He was selected to be Captain John Mitchell’s wingman during Operation Vengeance. He describes the precise flight plotted by Mitchell for intercept of Admiral Yamamoto’s plane over Bougainville. A vivid description is given of the actions taken by the planes involved in the attack.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Brush. Brush was assigned to serve as the Chief Engineer of the Philippine Manufacturing Company in Manila, before World War II. He and his wife traveled to Manila in May of 1941 and operated the factory until the end of December. He and his wife were taken prisoner into Santo Tomas Internment Camp in January of 1942. Brush shares details of the accommodations, building structure, atmosphere, food rations, starvation, illnesses, separated living conditions of men, women and children as well as their required daily work. They were later moved to Los Baños Internment Camp. In December of 1943 his wife, along with other women from Santo Tomas, were brought to Los Baños and allowed to live together as a family. Brush provides vivid details of their rescue in February of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Brush. Brush was assigned to serve as the Chief Engineer of the Philippine Manufacturing Company in Manila, before World War II. He and his wife traveled to Manila in May of 1941 and operated the factory until the end of December. He and his wife were taken prisoner into Santo Tomas Internment Camp in January of 1942. Brush shares details of the accommodations, building structure, atmosphere, food rations, starvation, illnesses, separated living conditions of men, women and children as well as their required daily work. They were later moved to Los Baños Internment Camp. In December of 1943 his wife, along with other women from Santo Tomas, were brought to Los Baños and allowed to live together as a family. Brush provides vivid details of their rescue in February of 1945.

Handwritten letter from Randy Forrester to Bernice, a relative of Clifford Baird, expressing shock upon learning of Clifford's death, reminiscing on his memories with him, and sending well wishes to Bernice.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Prudence Burns Burrell. Burrell was an African American woman who enlisted in the Army Reserve and served as a medical nurse in World War II. She was stationed in Australia, Java, New Guinea and the Philippines. She provides some details of her work in these areas and with the natives. She also shares experiences of racial discrimination. She completed her degree in public health at the University of Minnesota. She then served as a nurse aboard SS America. Upon returning home she became the first black instructor at Mission High School in San Francisco, teaching health and participating with the Future Nurses of America organization.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Prudence Burns Burrell. Burrell was an African American woman who enlisted in the Army Reserve and served as a medical nurse in World War II. She was stationed in Australia, Java, New Guinea and the Philippines. She provides some details of her work in these areas and with the natives. She also shares experiences of racial discrimination. She completed her degree in public health at the University of Minnesota. She then served as a nurse aboard SS America. Upon returning home she became the first black instructor at Mission High School in San Francisco, teaching health and participating with the Future Nurses of America organization.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Eddie Albert. Albert was born in Rock Island, Illinois on 22 April 1908 and joined the Navy in 1942. Following officer training at Cornell University, he was shipped to the South Pacific. Albert recalls spending a night in November 1943 with Lieutenant Colonel Evans Fordyce Carlson (of Carlson’s Raiders fame) in a hole during the Battle of Tarawa. After the battle he relates that he was called to Washington, DC for duties relating to public relations and was sent around the United States selling war bonds. He recalls that by the end of the war he also had produced at least six war-related training films.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Eddie Albert. Albert was born in Rock Island, Illinois on 22 April 1908 and joined the Navy in 1942. Following officer training at Cornell University, he was shipped to the South Pacific. Albert recalls spending a night in November 1943 with Lieutenant Colonel Evans Fordyce Carlson (of Carlson’s Raiders fame) in a hole during the Battle of Tarawa. After the battle he relates that he was called to Washington, DC for duties relating to public relations and was sent around the United States selling war bonds. He recalls that by the end of the war he also had produced at least six war-related training films.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Geoffrey Fisken. Fisken joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1939 and by 1941 was in a fighter squadron at Singapore flying Brewster Buffaloes. Fisken recalls the Japanese arrival on the Malay Peninsula and defending the Allied base at Singapore against superior Japanese air forces. He eventually evacuated to Australia, and then returned to New Zealand by April, 1942. In 1943, his new squadron moved up to Guadalcanal. Fisken shares several anecdotes about his time flying combat and patrol missions. In late 1943, Fisken was declared unfit for flying (as a result of previous wounds) and was mustered out of the service. He returned to New Zealand and continued farming.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Martin Clemens. Clemens was born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1915 and, after attending Cambridge University, joined the British Colonial Service and was posted to Guadalcanal in 1938. After Pearl Harbor, Clemens became the only British colonial authority on Guadalcanal and, in February 1942, was assigned coast watching duties prior to the Japanese invasion in May. After the Japanese invasion, he was forced to relocate from his village to a location in the jungle, where he describes his activities in conjunction with island volunteers in gathering intelligence and transmitting radio signals to British and Australian listening posts. When the Allied Forces landed on Guadalcanal in August 1942, Clemens provided volunteer scouts and laborers to Colonel Carlson of the Second Raider Battalion. He also recalls his encounters with General Vandegrift, who awarded him a Military Cross following the battle.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Martin Clemens. Clemens was born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1915 and, after attending Cambridge University, joined the British Colonial Service and was posted to Guadalcanal in 1938. After Pearl Harbor, Clemens became the only British colonial authority on Guadalcanal and, in February 1942, was assigned coast watching duties prior to the Japanese invasion in May. After the Japanese invasion, he was forced to relocate from his village to a location in the jungle, where he describes his activities in conjunction with island volunteers in gathering intelligence and transmitting radio signals to British and Australian listening posts. When the Allied Forces landed on Guadalcanal in August 1942, Clemens provided volunteer scouts and laborers to Colonel Carlson of the Second Raider Battalion. He also recalls his encounters with General Vandegrift, who awarded him a Military Cross following the battle.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Salter. Salter was born 27 February 1917. After graduating from high school, he attended Texas A&M University. He participated in the Civilian Pilot Training Program while at A&M and received his pilot’s license. Upon enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1940, he was sent to Santa Maria, California to primary flying school, then to basic flight school at Moffett Field. He completed advanced training at Stockton, California, receiving his commission 15 March 1941. He mentions the various planes flown in each phase of training. After graduation he reported to the 73rd Bomb Squadron at Elmendorf Field, Anchorage, Alaska and began flying B-18 bombers. In early 1942 the B-18s were replaced with B-26 bombers. Salter discusses characteristics of the B-26 that contributed to early crashes leading to the nickname Widowmaker for the B-26. He moved three of the squadrons planes to Adak and discusses bombing missions against Japanese shipping. Salter recalls being wounded by flak and losing his navigator to wounds. After two months in the hospital, Salter returned to Adak in February 1943 and assumed command of the 77th Bomb Group, which had B-25s. During July …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Sanford Hunt. Hunt was born in Newark, New Jersey on 18 October 1915 and after graduating from high school in 1934, joined the Naval Reserve as a radioman. In October 1940 he resigned from the Navy Reserves and enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve. He was sent to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as a radio operator, where he worked with Holland M. Smith. He was next transferred to the newly established Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and was trained as a cryptographer and cipher machine repairman. He describes his role in setting up and operating a radio transmitter station on Guadalcanal. While there, he worked closely with Major General Alexander Vandegrift and Brigadier General Gerald C. Thomas, Commanding General and Chief of Staff of the First Marine Division, respectively. The three of them were the only Marines on Guadalcanal authorized access to ULTRA message traffic (intelligence obtained by breaking encrypted enemy radio and teleprinter messages). Upon returning to Pearl Harbor he was given a field commission to second lieutenant. Hunt accompanied General Vandegrift to Noumea, New Caledonia as Special Assistant and Chief of Staff for Special Traffic and Messages, until …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Sanford Hunt. Hunt was born in Newark, New Jersey on 18 October 1915 and after graduating from high school in 1934, joined the Naval Reserve as a radioman. In October 1940 he resigned from the Navy Reserves and enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve. He was sent to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as a radio operator, where he worked with Holland M. Smith. He was next transferred to the newly established Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and was trained as a cryptographer and cipher machine repairman. He describes his role in setting up and operating a radio transmitter station on Guadalcanal. While there, he worked closely with Major General Alexander Vandegrift and Brigadier General Gerald C. Thomas, Commanding General and Chief of Staff of the First Marine Division, respectively. The three of them were the only Marines on Guadalcanal authorized access to ULTRA message traffic (intelligence obtained by breaking encrypted enemy radio and teleprinter messages). Upon returning to Pearl Harbor he was given a field commission to second lieutenant. Hunt accompanied General Vandegrift to Noumea, New Caledonia as Special Assistant and Chief of Staff for Special Traffic and Messages, until …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lewis Michelony. Michelony joined the Marine Corps right after finishing high school in 1938. After training and being joined to the 5th Marines, he went aboard the USS Arkansas (BB-33). Once the war started, Michelony went to first sergeant school. Once he got overseas, he was assigned to the 6th Marine Regiment and joined them in New Zealand. When the division arrived at Tarawa, Michelony's unit was in reserve and went ashore on the evening of D+1. After leaving Tarawa, the unit went to Hawaii for more training and a refit. Then, they assaulted Saipan. Michelony relates more combat experiences. He also fought on Tinian. Michelony participated in the mock landing at Okinawa on D-Day, but never went ashore. Instead, he returned to Saipan and then attended Officer Candidate School at Quantico. When the war ended, his OCS class was cancelled and Michelony reverted back to master sergeant and became a recruiter in Wisconsin. When the war in Korea started, Michelony volunteered to go. He landed with the 1st Marines at Inchon, liberated Seoul and was at the Chosin Reservoir. Michelony retired from the Marine Corps in 1958 …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Michael Ryan. Ryan joined the Marine Corps in 1940. He went to Iceland and served as a platoon commander. Afterwards, he describes going ashore at Tarawa as a company commander. Once ashore, due to the disarray, Ryan assumed command, until he could confirm that an officer from battalion or regimental headquarters had arrived. Ryan also went to Saipan and Tinian. He later served in Korea as an assistant division commander and as the First Marine Division commander in Vietnam.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with C M Hudspeth. When the war started, Hudspeth was in law school at the University of Texas. In early 1942, he applied for and was given a commission as ensign in the Navy without receiving any training. His first assignment was in a coding room at the Eight Naval District Headquarters in New Orleans. In early 1943, Hudspeth was transferred to Noumea to the South Pacific Area command as a communications officer. In early 1945, he transferred to San Diego. Hudspeth shares several anecdotes about the nature of his code work during the war and describes how coding machines worked. Hudspeth also shares a story about his involvement in the mission to shoot down Admiral Yamamoto. He was discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dick Keresey. Keresey was born in Delawana, New Jersey in 1913 and graduated from Columbia Law School in 1941. He joined the V7 Midshipman Program while at Columbia and completed training in January 1942, followed by motor torpedo boat training in Melville, Rhode Island, from which he graduated in March 1942. He served as captain of PT-105 in the Solomon Islands and recalls meeting John F. Kennedy, when Kennedy, as captain of PT-109, pulled Keresey’s boat off a reef. Keresey describes his participation in a major battle involving 15 PT boats in the Western Solomons on 6 March 1943, which became known as the Battle of Blackett Strait. Following that battle, he recalls learning that Kennedy’s boat, PT-109, had been cut in half by a Japanese destroyer. Finally, he describes another action in the Russell Islands on 22 August 1943 where he was assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Five along with nine other boats. He recalls PT-108 was destroyed by Japanese shore batteries during the battle.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dick Keresey. Keresey was born in Delawana, New Jersey in 1913 and graduated from Columbia Law School in 1941. He joined the V7 Midshipman Program while at Columbia and completed training in January 1942, followed by motor torpedo boat training in Melville, Rhode Island, from which he graduated in March 1942. He served as captain of PT-105 in the Solomon Islands and recalls meeting John F. Kennedy, when Kennedy, as captain of PT-109, pulled Keresey’s boat off a reef. Keresey describes his participation in a major battle involving 15 PT boats in the Western Solomons on 6 March 1943, which became known as the Battle of Blackett Strait. Following that battle, he recalls learning that Kennedy’s boat, PT-109, had been cut in half by a Japanese destroyer. Finally, he describes another action in the Russell Islands on 22 August 1943 where he was assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Five along with nine other boats. He recalls PT-108 was destroyed by Japanese shore batteries during the battle.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Gowen. Gowen joined the Merchant Marine in 1934. He trained aboard the USS Annapolis (PG-10) for two years. He graduated from the training program in 1937 as an engineer, then worked aboard a ship delivering oil as third assistant engineer. From 1940 to 1942 he continued working in his same role on the USS Santee (CVE-29). From there he went to Bath, Maine to work as an assistant engineering officer aboard USS Chevalier (DD-451). He went into the Battle of Vella Lavella in 1943 on the Chevalier and provides details of their travels from Maine to the Solomon Islands. He describes the events of the Chevalier being sunk during this battle. In 1944 Gowen went on to be an engineering officer of another destroyer and participated in the Marianas Campaign. In 1951 Gowen was selected to command the USS Ingersoll (DD-652) in the Mediterranean. In 1958 he attended the Naval War College and was made commanding officer of the USS Aludra (AF-55). He then took command, as a captain, of the Navy’s portion of testing atomic weapons in the Pacific area and provides details of this experience. He …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral monologue with Gerald Martel. Martel was born in Massachusetts and joined the Army in the spring of 1941. He was assigned to the 182nd Infantry Regiment as a machine gunner and headed for Australia. His unit comprised the Americal Division when it was formed. Martel went to Guadalcanal and Leyte. He eventually was pulled from the ranks and put into special services where he performed for GI audiences. Sometimes, he opened before other celebrities performed (Irving Berlin, Bob Hope, and Jack Benny).

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral monologue with Gerald Martel. Martel was born in Massachusetts and joined the Army in the spring of 1941. He was assigned to the 182nd Infantry Regiment as a machine gunner and headed for Australia. His unit comprised the Americal Division when it was formed. Martel went to Guadalcanal and Leyte. He eventually was pulled from the ranks and put into special services where he performed for GI audiences. Sometimes, he opened before other celebrities performed (Irving Berlin, Bob Hope, and Jack Benny).

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gerald Miller. Miller provides some background of his family history. He joined the Navy in 1936 and graduated from the Naval Academy in December of 1941. By January 1942 he was in the Pacific aboard the USS Richmond (CL-9), escorting troopships from Panama, through Bora-Bora and to Tongatabu. In December 1942 they were sent to the Aleutian Islands, participating in shore bombardments of Attu and Kiska. He discusses the weapons aboard the Richmond and some of its general characteristics. They also participated in the action off Komandorski Islands in March of 1943. He also traveled throughout the Atlantic and went to Europe. In early 1944 he participated in shore bombardments of Paramushir, Russia. From April 1944 to 1945 Miller completed flight school and discusses some of his training experiences. He continued on in the Navy, participating in the Korean War, flying an F9F2 and an F9F5, and provides detail of this experience. He is a former commander of the Navy’s Second and Sixth Fleets. Additionally, he was a Vice Admiral and his last assignment was Deputy Director of the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff. He retired from the Navy …